Range gas igniter foolishness

Aug 28, 2008 7 Replies

We have a gas range that has worked flawlessly for many a year.



Now, on one side, when the front burner is activated, the electronic spark igniter for the BACK burner comes to life! When the back burner is activated, the back burner acts normally. The front burner doesn't spark at all (full disclosure: I haven't tried to light the front burner by turning on the oven).



Before I disassemble the range, is there a spell or blessing that will cure the no-front-burner-spark issue?



Thanks.


I had a similar problem earlier this year with our gas range. I'd had a boilover on the stove, and the liquid clogged up the tiny hole in the burner that the gas goes through to be ignited. Just lift off your problematic burner (if this is a sealed burner, there's probably a lid, and then the burner itself) and look for a pinhole. Take a safety pin and ream it out. That ought to do it.

you may also want to take a piece of emery cloth or a small file to the end of the ignitor and clean it up.

Thanks for the pointer.

You're suggesting, then, that when either knob is turned to "light" that BOTH the front and back igniters fire?

Weird. Oh well, I'll check.

Thanks again.

Typically, all ignitors fire when you turn any of the knobs to "light" and only the one with gas going to it lights. This is standard operation.

JK

You have described every gas range with electronic ignition I have ever seen and I don't believe they manufacture them any other way. There is one igniter module for the burners and the switches on each knob are connected in parallel and there is another igniter for the oven/broiler.

Thanks for confirming that I was not the only one for which this concept was a new.

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